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Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne says her government will increase hospital funding by $822 million in 2018-2019, the third major funding promise the Liberals have made in as many days ahead of the province’s June election. (The Canadian Press)

Ontario government to boost hospital funding by $822M to ease overcrowding, wait times

Ontario’s hospitals are getting a pre-election cash infusion of $822 million, a 4.6-per-cent boost for the next year to ease overcrowding and reduce wait times for patients.

Premier Kathleen Wynne announced the money Thursday at North York General, saying it will fill gaps in services but would not guarantee an end to what opposition parties call “hallway medicine.”

“What I can promise is people will get faster care in hospitals across the province,” Wynne told reporters, noting North York hospital’s share will be $10.8 million.

“This is not a time to pull back. This is not a time to make big cuts in services,” she said in a reference to rival new Progressive Conservative Leader Doug Ford’s promise to shrink the provincial budget by finding “efficiencies.”

“The people of Ontario are tired of a government that treats taxpayers as an ATM. Under our PC government, the party with the taxpayer’s money will be over,” Ford said in a statement.

Details of the increase in base funding — on top of a 3.2-per-cent hike announced a year ago — for all 143 hospitals across the province will be announced Friday as MPPs return to their ridings for the weekend as the June 7 provincial election approaches.

The money is one of several announcements from Wynne this week, including the expansion of pharmacare to seniors and more funding for mental health, that will be included in Finance Minister Charles Sousa’s spring budget next Wednesday, forming the basis for the Liberal government’s re-election platform.

“This is a last ditch effort for the Liberals to try to save their seats,” said Progressive Conservative MPP Lisa MacLeod (Nepean-Carleton).

New Democrat Leader Andrea Horwath has been hammering the government on hospital overcrowding, particularly in fast-growing Brampton, and has promised — as has Ford — to bring an end to “hallway medicine” if elected premier.

The term refers to treatment of emergency and other patients in hospital hallways because beds cannot be found for them, due to a fast-growing population, surges in demand for care because of the flu, and about 4,500 patients, such as the frail elderly, waiting in hospitals for spots to open up in nursing homes.

“When people are being treated in bathrooms and in shower rooms and when they have to share four or five people in what used to be a TV room of a patient lounge....it is degrading,” said New Democrat MPP France Gelinas (Nickel Belt), her party’s health critic.

“The damage...has been done by years of underfunding.”

Ontario Hospital Association president and chief executive Anthony Dale said the $822 million is welcome but agreed the money won’t solve all the problems.

“We are looking at it as a foundation piece toward the end of hallway medicine, the end of hospital overcrowding,” Dale added, noting more nursing home beds and home care are also needed to achieve that goal.

But he called on the government — no matter who wins the June vote — to engage in long-term budget planning with the sector, which now gets $18 billion in taxpayer support.

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Only then will hospitals have a better shot at the advance planning needed to improve services and reduce wait times, Dale said. Right now, hospitals are given their allocations annually, leaving them guessing what will come in subsequent years.

So far he hasn’t heard enough details from any party, despite opposition promises, to make him believe hallway medicine can be put to bed for good.

“Not yet. And so we’re all looking forward to hearing ... from all three parties on their plans.”

The NDP and PCs said they are not ready to release details of their health-care platforms.

The Ontario Health Coalition said a larger, 5.2 per cent increase was needed but called the extra money “a move in the right direction” and asked for assurances the payouts won’t be pared back after the election.

At North York General, interim president and chief executive Karyn Popovich said the extra funding her hospital is getting “will certainly help us.”

“We’ve had a rough flu season this year,” Popovich said, but noted the government’s move to reopen closed beds at the old Humber Hospital site on Finch Ave. has helped ease overcrowding.

“There will be peak times, but this money will definitely help us address some of our main concerns.”

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